India assumes responsibility in Indo-Asia Pacific: Ram Madhav

India, along with its neighbours, assumes the responsibility of establishing peace and "law and order" in the Indo-Asia Pacific region, but expects the US to continue its pivotal role there, a senior BJP leader has said.

Ram Madhav, the general-secretary of the ruling party, said India has earned a tremendous trust from its neighbours in the significantly important Indo-Asia Pacific region. (PTI)

India, along with its neighbours, assumes the responsibility of establishing peace and “law and order” in the Indo-Asia Pacific region, but expects the US to continue its pivotal role there, a senior BJP leader has said.

Ram Madhav, the general-secretary of the ruling party, said India has earned a tremendous trust from its neighbours in the significantly important Indo-Asia Pacific region.

At an event organised by the Federation of India and Indian Diaspora Studies, Madhav said India assumes the responsibilities – along with its neighbours – to establish peace and “law and order” in the region.

But, he said, India expects the US to continue its pivotal role in the region instead of slowing trade and military engagement in the region.

“The regional powers will have to take a leading role with America playing a supportive role. That is perhaps the way forward,” he said at the event on Friday in the suburbs of Washington DC.

Madhav is the first senior leader of the ruling party to have addressed on India-US relationship after the election of Donald Trump as the 45th president of the United States.

Summarising the current state of Indo-US relationship, Madhav said the ties reached a new peak under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Barack Obama. The relationship is likely to march ahead under the Trump administration, he said.

“Going by his pre-election statements towards India, the president-elect seems to have a friendly perspective towards India. He does not seems to be a run-in-mill politician, hence we expect him to bring fresh ideas to counter-terrorism, and establish the rule of law,” he said.